Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Volunteer Update...

West Manheim Parents -

Please take a few moments to read the information shared below. Several changes to the various state requirements for volunteer clearances have been made at the state level, thus changing the district's guidelines. Listed below is the most current volunteer requirements for South Western School District:

Clearances are needed by any volunteers who care, supervise, guide and/or control children and have routine interaction with children on a regular basis. The change in definition greatly narrows who need clearances.

Adults who have regular, repeated and continual contact with children would be the definition of a volunteer and would need clearances.

Those needing clearances would include: Individuals who sit outside the elementary classrooms and assist students on a one-to- one basis or who assist on a regular basis in the classroom need clearances. PTA/PTO officers or members often have routine interaction with children, such at book fairs and talent shows, so those officers and/or parents would need clearances. Individuals who volunteer as coaches need clearances. Many of our marching band parents have routine interaction with students, so they would need clearances. Mentors would also need clearances as they would fall under the new definition.

Anyone who meets the new definition of volunteer must have clearances before they can start the school year. Any volunteer who has obtained clearances before, such as volunteer coaches, must renew every 5 years.

Starting with this school year, all volunteers(with the new definition) that we will be using will need to register at the district office to fill out the proper paperwork. Then, we can distribute a Volunteer Manual, take their picture and get their fingerprints, if needed. The need for fingerprinting will be determined at the district office.